LEOMINSTER -- Not making the playoffs is a rarity for the Leominster High baseball team.

But in 2016, the Blue Devils will only be spectators in the Central Mass. Division 1 tournament.

Needing a win in its last regular-season game, Leominster battled until the very end -- rallying for two runs in the seventh inning -- but fell victim to talented Algonquin Regional, 3-2, Saturday at sunny and hot Doyle Field.

"That's on me. I took the job and knew the pressure that came with it," Leominster coach Rich Barnaby said. "I could have softened the schedule, but we didn't. I think the only way that you become an elite program is you play a tough schedule, and that might mean you miss the playoffs every few years. I don't think there's any regrets or we could have worked any harder. I look forward to starting another 16-year streak of making the playoffs."

Since taking over for legendary Leominster coach Emile Johnson, Barnaby has amassed a 43-24 overall record in three seasons, including a impressive 21-4 mark and a state championship in 2014.

The last time Leominster (9-11, 5-7) failed to make the districts was in 2000.

Algonquin (15-5, 9-3) also was jacked up to play on Saturday. The victory clinched a share of the Midland League A title with Shrewsbury. Both teams finished 9-3 in the league.

"They were fighting for their lives to get into the playoffs, and we had a lot on the line, too," Algonquin coach Mike Mocerino said.

Advertisement

Senior ace Matt Geoffrion, despite control issues (five hit batsman) overpowered the Blue Devils at times. The hard-throwing righty got the win in six innings, allowing no runs on three hits with one walk and seven strikeouts.

"Matt went out there and pitched a great game for us," Mocerino said. "We knew they were going to fight. They are well-coached and disciplined, and the game is never over and they don't quit."

Lefty Connor Henderson came on in relief and earned the save in a dicey bottom of the seventh inning.

Dom Fusco (2 for 3) started the rally with a bloop single to left, and with two outs Eddie Cuddahy got beaned -- the sixth time overall the Blue Devils were plunked in the game.

Catcher Justin Robbins kept the season alive with an RBI single to center, and Andrew Harrington followed with a scorching RBI double to left field.

But with two on and two outs, Henderson buckled down and got a called third strike to end the ballgame, giving the Tomahawks a 15-5 record and a piece of the league title.

"It shows the character of this team," Barnaby said. "They don't quit. They could have packed it in, but they kept fighting and put us in a position to win against a really good team."

The top of the first inning proved to be a killer for Leominster, as it watched Algonquin cash in on miscues to plate three runs.

Algonquin loaded the bases with no outs against Leominster freshman Pat Gallagher.

Gallagher got the first two outs himself via a swing-and-miss on an outside fastball for the first out and a knee-buckling deuce for out No. 2. But the Tomahawks took a major gamble and it paid off, as Nolan Kessinger took off from third base during Gallagher's windup and beat the tag of catcher Rocco Pandiscio, successfully stealing home.

"That changed the momentum a little bit, stealing home," Mocerino said. "It was good that we put the pressure on them early and capitalized on a couple of mistakes and a big hit by Sandorfi to get us on the board."

Giving up early runs wasn't the way Leominster had hoped to start.

"The games that we've won this year, we've gotten out to leads and we've been able to manufacture runs," Barnaby said. "We're just not deep enough to string together about 10 hits. When we fall behind early, it slows our offense down."

Third baseman Harrision Sandorfi knocked in two more with a single to center field, giving the visitors a 3-0 lead.

"We had a freshman pitcher throw a two-hitter against one of the best lineups in Central Mass.," Barnaby said. "It wasn't his fault, we just let him down with the defense in the first inning. But to their credit, they didn't give up and kept battling."

Gallagher, who fanned seven and issued one walk in six strong innings, while not allowing an earned run, was on his game and didn't allow another hit until Alex Osetek singled to lead off the sixth.

"Mentally, he's way beyond his years," Barnaby said. "If he stays healthy and continues to improve, he's going to be as good as any pitcher that we've ever had."

The problem for Leominster was it couldn't deliver the big hit against Geoffrion. Leominster got at least one runner on in each inning, but came up empty twice with the bases juiced.

Geoffrion hit three straight batters in the third, but Leominster couldn't produce. Matt Baron roped a pitch, but it went right in the glove of Adam Genga at shortstop. The next two hitters whiffed.

"We had a hard line drive in the fourth inning, and (later) we hit some shots to the gaps and their guys made good plays on them," Barnaby said.

In the sixth, Cuddahy was hit by a pitch, Harrington lined a single to center and Gallagher reached on a two-out error, but Geoffrion escaped damage by inducing a ground ball to shortstop.

"(Geoffrion's) a great pitcher," Barnaby said. "He's going to play Division 1 baseball. Our approach was to stay off the high stuff and try to choke up and hit some gaps. He's tough. You're only going to get one or two opportunities. We had an opportunity in the fourth, but we hit a hard line drive and a couple strikeouts. If you waste those opportunities, you're probably not going to win a game, because he's not going to give you too much."

Welcome to your discussion forum: Sign in with a Disqus account or your social networking account for your comment to be posted immediately, provided it meets the guidelines. (READ HOW.)
Comments made here are the sole responsibility of the person posting them; these comments do not reflect the opinion of The Sentinel and Enterprise. So keep it civil.